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S295 > Theme - Nutrient Flux > Flashcards

Theme - Nutrient Flux Flashcards

1
Q

What is an autotroph?

Name the three types of organism.

A

An organism that meets its own energy requirements.

  1. Algae
  2. Lower plants (bryophytes: mosses)
  3. Higher plants (flowering plants) … except those that at parasitic
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2
Q

What is a heterotroph?

Name the three types of organism.

A

An organism that needs others to meet its energy needs.

  1. Slime moulds
  2. Fungi
  3. Animals
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3
Q

What is the simples form of carbohydrate energy store?

Give a named example.

A

A monosaccharide sugar.

Example: fructose, ribulose

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4
Q

What is a disaccharide?

Give a named example.

A

It is a pair of sugar molecules that have joined up.

Example: sucrose, lactose, maltose

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5
Q

What is an implication of mono- and di-saccharide sugars that free-float in cells?

A

They alter the osmotic potential of the solution which can impact other cellular processes

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6
Q

What is fructans an example of and where is it normally found?

A

It is an oligo-saccharide (a carbohydrate made up of a few sugar molecules).
It is the main storage compound in some plant species.

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7
Q

Explain what a polysaccharide is and where it is found.

A

It is a carbohydrate made up of many sugar molecules, used as the main energy store in many organisms.
Starch and inulin are examples found in plants.
Glycogen is the form found in animals.

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8
Q

What is TAG and what is it used for?

A

Triacylglycerol is a lipid (fatty acid) used for long-term energy storage

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9
Q

What is TAG made up of?

A

3 long chain fatty acids linked by ester to a glycerol molecule

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10
Q

What is the benefit of a TAG with 50 carbon atoms over a polysaccharide?

A

Polysaccharide is insolube, bulky and solid.

TAG is liquid so a more useful form of storage and more efficient use of space.

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11
Q

Generally which compounds are used for short, medium and long term energy storage?

A

Short - monomers - monosaccharides like fructose
Medium - polysaccharides like starch or glycogen
Long - lipids like TAG (triacylglycerol)

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12
Q

Name three minerals needed by plants to survive.

A

Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus

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13
Q

What are the three approaches heterotrophs take to obtain nutrients? Give an example of each.

A
  1. Saprotroph - eat dead matter and feaces (wood louse)
  2. Necrotroph - kills then eats (lion, sheep)
  3. Biotroph - eats live without killing (parasite, tapeworm)
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14
Q

How do lions get rid of excess nitrogen and why?

A

Nitrogen-containing amine groups are toxic as they can raise cell pH levels. They are combined with CO2 to create urea which is neutral. This is then excreted via the kidneys as urine.

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15
Q

How to mangroves cope with excess salt in water?

A

Salts are excreted by glands on leaf to form crystals. This maintains osmoregulation within the cells.

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16
Q

How do terrestrial trees get rid of excess nutrients?

A

Senescing leaves contain unwanted solutes, toxins and organic compounds. These fall in autumn, or at other times if required.

17
Q

What similarity exists between fungi and mammals that get rid of unwanted compounds?

A

Mammals excrete toxic metals in dead matter such as nails and hair.
Fungi excrete them in old tissue, such as dying hyphae

18
Q

What two ways can energy be released from an organism?

A
  1. The organism releases it for energy use.

2. The organism gets eaten and the energy passes up the food chain.

19
Q

What are the three main components of macronutrients?

A

Carbon, hydrogen + oxygen = carbohydrates

20
Q

How/where is energy stored in molecules?

A

Mainly in the C-C bonds that hold carbon atoms together

21
Q

Explain the differences between carbohydrates and lipids with respect to solubility and formation.

A

Lipids (fats and oils) are hydrophobic (insoluble in water) and aggregate together to form droplets.
Carbohydrates are hydrophilic (water soluble) and polymerise into long-chain molecules.

22
Q

Where might TAGs be found in (a) plants & (b) animals:

A

(a) as oils in seeds, giving an energy reserve for seedings

(b) as adipose tissue in animals, as a fat/energy store

23
Q

Where are short and long term energy reserves kept in animals and what are they?

A 
Short = glycogen - kept in liver and muscles
Long = TAGs in adipose tissue
24
Q

Why are TAGs more efficient energy stores than glycogen?

A

As they are hydrophobic, TAGs don’t contain water and are therefore 6x denser. Per unit mass they are therefore much more efficient as energy stores.

25
Q

What is lipolysis?

A

It is the breakdown of TAGs, releasing fatty acids from adipose tissue

26
Q

Give three factors that affect the energy/nutritional needs of an organism

A
  1. Its physical size
  2. Its environment
  3. Its level of activity
27
Q

How is energy lost after it is consumed?

A

Through waste products (nitrogenous and faeces)

Through heat as by-product of respiration & metabolism

28
Q

What is the difference between basal and maximum metabolic rates (in endotherms)?

A

BMR is the minimal metabolic rate needed to stay alive and not grow.
Maximum MR occurs during exertion and activity, and is normally 2-4x BMR

29
Q

Why do ectotherms have a Standard rather than Basal Metabolic Rate?

A

As the external temperature impacts their body temperature, their ‘base’ metabolic rate depends on these environmental conditions

30
Q

What is the approximate proportion of metabolic rate to body mass?

A

BMR = 70m to the power of 0.75

31
Q

What three compounds excrete nitrogenous waste and which types of animal do they relate to?

A

Ammonia - fish
Urea - mammals, amphibians, sharks
Uric acid - birds, reptiles, insects

32
Q

What are the two strategies for osmoregulation?

A

Conform - have same osmotic pressure as environment

Regulate - become independent of the environment

33
Q

What do osmoconformers all have in common?

A

They are marine animals and have the same osmolarity as seawater

34
Q

How does uric acid excretion differ from ammonia and urea?

A

It is excreted as a paste to conserve water

35
Q

Briefly explain the differences between herbivore and carnivore teeth.

A

Herbivores have large flat molars for grinding food to break down cell walls.
Carnivores have pointed molars to tear flesh.

S295 (18 decks)

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